Article transfer mechanism



Oct. l, 1946. E. H. BENNETT ARTICLE TRANSFER MEcHANsM Filed June 5, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 BENNETT VIVI SWIG: W

E. H. BENNETT ARTICLE TRANSFER' MECHANISM.

Filed June 5, 1945 um Illu 5 shets-sheet 2 09,1;1946. 5, H. BENNETT 2,498,599

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Eli BENNETT Oct. l, 1946.

E. H. BENNETT' ARTICLE TRANSFER MECHANIS'M Filed June 5L 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 gri/oowk vOdi l, 1946. E. H. BENNETT 2,408,599

ARTICLE TRASFER MECHANISM FiledJune 5, 1945 5 sheets-sheet 5 "Patented Oct. 1, 1946 v ARTICLE'TRANSFEn MEHANISM Edward H. Bennett,` Toledo,h(io, 'assignon `to I Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ohio Application June 5, 1945-Ser1al No. 597;.687' Y My invention relates to mechanism for transferring articles from one position to another or from one moving apparatus vor machine to another.. The invention provides automatic mechanism` including article-transfer arms orunits mounted ona rotating carriage and adapted toA and forming part of automatic mechanism for manufacturing hollow glass articles such as tumblers, jars, and the like. Such mechanisml includes a blowing machine having a rotating carriage with an annular series of blowpipes or spindles thereon by means of which individual charges of glass' are vblown to hollow form,-and a separate burn-off machine. The latter comprises a carriage with burners thereon by vwhich the blown articles are severed from thev waste glass ormoil. f

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and practical mechanism for transferring the blown articles to and from the burn-off machine, such mechanism comprising 'transfer arms mounted4 on the burn-off machine and operable automatically to take the articles lfromthe blowing machine, place them on the ,burn-oil' machine Vand after the burn-off operationkagain pick upthe articlesand transfer themy to a conveyor orthe like. .l o

Otherobjects of the invention appear 'here-z Y inafter. c Referringto the accompanying drawingsr n Figi is a part-sectional elevation vof a burnoff machine with the article-transfer units mounted thereoin; parts of the machine being broken away.fV n Y I. Y Fig. lA is a fragmentary View in'sectional'elevation. at the line 1A-,1A on Fig. 1, showingcams for lifting and lowering the transfer arms. y Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional elevationon a larger scale thanFig. f1, showingparticularly a transfer unitY including the transfer arm and operating mechanism therefor.

Fig. 3 is a part-sectionalplan view substantially at the line 3*--3 on Fig.l 1. Y

. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view showing portions of adjacent transfer units.- e

Fig. A5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view on'v a 9 claims. (clima- 210i l .vertical stem 23.

Y 2 .1 ,comparativelyv .larger scale, the section being takerat theline 5--5 on Fig. 4.

Figl 6 is a part-sectional plan view of adjacent transfer units showing cam-operated means for rotating and for. lifting and lowering the'transfer arms. f

Fig. '7 is a diagrammatic plan view'showing the transfer units and their operating cams.

Referring to Fig. 1, the Varticle-transfer units are mounted on a burn-off machinecomprising a stationary framework I0 andy a carriage Il mounted for horizontal rotation about a stationary vertical centerjcolumnl I2, the carriage being supported on ball bearings I3. Means for rotating the ycarriage continuously includes a drivingV gear Id ,boltedto the carriage and-connected'through suitablegearing withan electric motor (not shown). The carriage has mounted thereon an annular series of burn-off units each comprising a ring burner I5.

' Workpieces I6, herein shown as tumblers, are

`blown on afglass blowing machine indicated diagrammatically at I1 (Figs. 3 and 7). The blowing machine comprises an annular series of blowing spindles or units IB r(lligs. 1 and) bywhich gcbs or` charges -of 1 glass carried -thereonH are 'blown toV form vthe twmblersv I6. Each spindle includes a pair of jaws I9 which'are opened automatically to release the workpiece comprising the tumblerwith the .moil 20 of waste glass by which the tumbler is connected to the spindle.

When the workpiece is released from the spindle I8; it is transferredby a transfer unit, comprising atr'ansfer arm12l, toa holder .22 cna The holder 22 isthenmoved upward vertically to carry the workpiecer into thev ring burner"'-I5. I A vset of gripping jaws 24 then `grips vthe workpiece and'holds it while the burner severs the moil, leaving thetumbler I6 on vthe holder 22. (.The holder with thetumbler thereon is then lowered, after which the transfer arm 2I operates to pick up the tumbler and transfer it to a belt conveyor 25 (Fig. "7).` by which it is 'carried'. into an annealing lehr 26;' The means for'lifting' andi-lowering the'holder 22 with'the workpiece thereon comprises a rock arm 21 'conriected to arock shaft 28 to which is also connected a 4rock Yarm 19 with acam 'follower'roll' running on a stationary cam 30.

` The' article-transfer units, -each comprising :a transfer arm 2 I, are mounted on the carriage Ily of the burn-off machine adjacent to the .burner units, there` being 4one transfer unit'for. each burnerunit., Each transfer arm 2| `comprises a vertical section and an integral horizontal arm 3| at the lower end thereof. The arm 3| is attached to the upper end of a vertical rock shaft 32. The transfer arm carries at its upper end an article-holding cup 33 which comprises a pair of arc-shaped jaws formed integral with a pair of arms 34 and 35 (Fig. 3) mounted to swing about pivots 36 in the upper end of the arm 2|, for opening and closing the cup. The rock shaft 32 is mounted for up-and-down movement and also for rotation about its axis, for lifting and lowering the cup 33 and for swinging it horizontally for transferring articles as hereinafter described. The shaft 32 extends through a .vertical tubular shaft 31 which is mounted for rotation in a cylindrical casing 38 forming part of the carriage I. The shafts 32 and 31 are formed with vertical ribs providing a driving connection therebetween while permitting vertical movement of the shaft 32.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine includes a stationary cam drum 40 on which are mounted cams 4l, 42, and 43 controlling the vertical and rotative movements of the .shafts 32. The cam 43 operates a slide bar 44 (Figs. l, lA, 2, and 6) mounted to reciprocate radially of the carriage in guideways formed in an arm 45. The slide bar carries a pinion 4G which runs in mesh with a rack bar 41 connected through a rod 48 to a rack bar 49 which runs in mesh with a pinion 53 keyed to the lower end of the shaft 31. The pinion 46 also runs'on a rack 45a (Fig. 6) which is held in Xed position on the carriage. There is thus provided a yspeed multiplying drive between the slide bar 44 and the rack bar 48. The cam 43 operates through the gearing just described to rotate the shaft 32, the cam 43 `being shaped and designed to impart the desired rotative movements to the shaft as hereinafter set forth.

The transfer arms are adapted to operate in pairs when taking articles off the forming machine |1 as indicated in Fig. 7, but operate singly and in succession when transferring the articles to the belt conveyor. In korder to effect such operations, separate cams 4| and 42 are provided, each controlling the vertical movement of the shafts 32 of alternate transfer units. The cam 4| operates slide bars each carrying a cam roll 52 running on the cam, the slide bar being mounted for movement radially of the machine. A rod 53 (Fig. 2) extending in line with the slide bar 5|, is slidably connected with said bar by means of a lug 54 having an opening through which the inner end portion of the rod extends. A rack bar 55 is mounted on the rod 53, and is adjustable thereon by means of adjusting nuts 55. The rack runs in mesh with a pinion 53 keyed to a shaft .51 journaled in an arm 58 on the carriage A rock arm 53 keyed to the shaft 51 and extending forwardly therefrom has a bifurcated end 60 (Figs. 2 and 6) connected through a pair of links 8|' to a head 62 attached to the lower end of the shaft 32.

A coil spring 63 mounted on the rod 53 is held under compression .between the lug 54 vand the rack bar 55 and provides a yielding driving connection between the slide bar 5| vand the rack bar. When the slide bar 5| is moved outwardly by its cam, it operates through the spring 63 to drive the rack bar and the pinion 53, thereby swinging the arm 5S downwardly and lowering the transfer arm.V This outward movement of the rack bar is limited by a stop nut 64 on a stop rod 6.5 attached to the carriage. The stop nut is adjustable to limit the outward movement of the rack bar. The rod 85 extends through an opening in a lug 63 on the rack bar, thus serving as a guide and holding the rack bar against rotative movement. The coil compression spring 63 provides a yielding driving connection which serves as a safety means, so that in the event of any obstruction hindering the downward movement of the transfer arm,v the slide 5| can continue its movement under the control of the cam. The spring 63 also permits adjustment of the lower stop position of the transfer arm independently of its driving cam.

Each transfer unit includes mechanism for opening and closing the cup sections 33. Such mechanism comprises cams 33 and 33 mounted on a block 18 adjustable up and down in a slideway 1| on the carriage. Means for adjusting the cams up and down includes an adjusting rod 12 journaled in a bearing sleeve 13 between collars 14 on the rod, the latter having a screw-threaded connection with the block 18. The cams 88 and 69 are also individually adjustable rotatively about the axis ofthe shaft 32 and held in adjusted position by screw bolts 18 extending through elongated slots in the block 10. Driving connections between the jaws 33 and their operating cams include a cam follower roll 15 on a rock arm 16 mounted to rock on the shaft 32. The rock arm 15 is connected by a link 11 to a rock arm 18 on the lower end of a vertical rock Ishaft 18 carried on the arm 2|. A rock arm 8|! on the upper end of the shaft 19, is connected by a link 3| to the arm 34.

The cams 68 and 69 are operable through the linkage just described to swing the arm 34 about its pivot 36 for opening the jaws 33. Intermeshing gear segments 82 (Fig. 3) are keyed to the pivot shafts 36 so that the jaws 33 are connected for simultaneous swinging movement. The jaws 33 are swung to closed position by' a coil tension spring 84 anchored at its opposite ends to the rock arm 18 (Fig. 2) and the arm 3|.

Referring to Figs. 3 and '7, it will be seen that the transfer cups 33v travel in a path such that two of the cups are in vertical alignment with a pair of spindles i8 at one time for receiving workpieces released simultaneously from the two spindles. This adapts the transfer mechanism for use vwith a glass blowing machine which releases the workpieces in pairs. In order to obtain this operation of the `transfer arms, and also permit them to transfer the workpieces singly and in succession, the separate cams 4| and 42 (Figs. 1, 1A) are provided for lifting the transfer cups so that two of said cups, one in advance of the other, may be lifted simultaneously by their respective-cams into position for receiving the two workpieces as the latter are simultaneously released from the spindles I8. The slide bars 5| (Figs. 1 andY 1A) operated by the cam 4| alternate with rack bars 5|' operated by the cam 42. Referring to Fig. v7, it will beseen that the cam 42 has a lifting section 42a in advance of the lifting section 4|@ of the cam 4| so that the transfer cups are lifted in pairs.

The operation of the transfer mechanism is as follows:

As the burn-off machine and the blowing machine |1 rotate in the directions indicated by the arrows (Fig. '7), the transfer arms are swung outward by the stationary cam 43 to bring the transfer cups 33 beneath and in vertical alignment with the blowing spindles |8 and the workpieces I6 held thereby. The two transfer cups in register with a pair of the spindles are then lifted simultaneously by their respective cams4| and 42 s'othat they'embrace-the workpiecesv I6.

The sp-indle jaws I8 (Fig. l) are now swung open, thus releasing the workpieces to the transfer arms. The two transfer arms are then swung inwardly in succession by the -cam t3V which opcrates to rotate the shafts 32, thereby bringing the workpieees over the holders: 22. Each transfer vfcup' with the workpiece thereon is lowered after itl has been brought over the holder 22, thereby placing the workpiece o vthe holder as `shown in brokenlines (Fig. 1). 'The workpiece is seated'on the platform before the transfer'cup hasco'mpleted its downward movement. f L Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that during the nal downward movement of the transfer arm, the cam follower roll runs on the cam 68 so that the shaft I9 is rocked and thereby swings the cup sections apart, thus releasing the workpiece I6. The holder'22 is now lifted by its c'am- 30 and carries the workpiece up into the ring burner I5 which operates to sever the moil while' the latter is held by the gripping arms 24. tumbler I 6-thereon. These burn-off operations take'place while the carriage is making part of a'complete revolution. Eachtransfer cup remains open during its travel through an arc 88 (Fig. '7) while thev burn-off operation is taking place. After the'holder 22 is lowered withthe tumbler thereon, the cup 33 is lifted by its cam '4I or 42. The initial upward movement permits the cup sections to be closed around the tumbler by the cup-closing spring 84, while the cam roll 'I5 runs up the cam 68. The tumbler I5 is now supported in the transfer cup and as the latter continues its upward movement, the cam 43 operates to rotate the shaft 32 and therebyswings the cup, with the tumbler carried thereby, outwardly to a position over the belt conveyor (Figs. 2 and 7). The shaft 32 is'then moved 'downward so that/the vcup is lowered and deposits the tumbler I6 on the conveyor, During the final downward movement'of the cup, the cam B9 (Fig. 5) engages the roll I5 and operates to swing the cup sections apart. The shaftl 32 is-lifted so that the cup clears the tumbler and is then rotated to swing the cupV inwardly thus completing the cycle.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim:

l. The combination of a carriage mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, article transfer mechanism comprising a vertical rock shaft journaled on the carriage to rock aboutv its Vvertical axis, a transfer arm xed to'said shaft and ex- The holder 22 is then lowered with ythe position,

ing a vertical rock shaft journaled on the carriage, a transfer arm attached to and extending laterally from said rock shaft, an article-holding cup mounted on said arm and comprising jaws pivoted to swing to and from an article-holding a stationary cam drum on the machine base, cams attached to said drum and comprising cam tracks extending circumferentially ofthe carriage, means providing operating connections betweenone' said cam and the rock shaft for rocking the latter about its axis, means providing operating connections between another said cam and the rock shaft for lifting and lowering the latter, and means controlled by the lifting and lowering movements of the rock shaft for causing said swinging of the holding jaws to said article-holding position during the upward movement of the rock shaft and transfer arm, and from article-holding positionV during the downward movement of the rock shaft and transfer arm.

3. The combination of a carriage mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, article transfer units mounted on the carriage and arranged in an annular series, said units each comprising a vertical rock shaft mounted on the carriage for up-and-down movement and for rotation about its axis, means for rotating each said shaft, stationary cams extending circumferentially of the Y carriage, and mechanisms individual to said rock shafts each providing operating connections between its rock shaft and a said cam for lifting and lowering the rock shaft, alternate rock shafts of the series having said connections with one said cam and the other rock shafts with the other said cam.

4. The combination of a carriage mounted Vfor v rotation about a vertical axis, an annular series of article transfer units mounted on the carriage for rotation therewith, each'said unit compris-Y ing a' transfer arm and an article holder o n said arm, means for rocking each said arm for swinging the article holder from an article-receiving position at one side of the carriage to a discharging' position over the carriage, means for lifting and lowering the transfer arms comprising y stationary cams, means providing operating contending laterally therefrom, an article holder Y comprising a pair of jaws pivotally mounted on said arm for swinging movement toward Y and from each other, automatic means controlled by the rotation of the carriage for rocking said shaft and thereby swinging said holder from an articlereceiving position between the rock shaft and the axis of the carriage and a discharging position laterally beyond the carriage, means controlled by the rotation of the carriage for lifting and lowering the rock shaft and transfer arm, and means operable by `and during the upward movement of'the transfer arm to swing the jaws toward eachother to an article-holding position and operable'by the downward movement of the transfer arm to swing the jaws apart. Y

nections between one said vcam and alternate rock arms of said series, and means providing operating connections between the other said cam and the other rock arms, said cams being shaped and arranged to cause the article holders to be lifted in pairs when swung outward for receiving articles.

5. The combination of a carriage mounted for rotation about a Vertical axis, an annular series of article transfer units mounted on the carriage for rotation therewith, eachsaid unit comprising a transfer arm and an article holder on said arm, means for rocking each said arm for swinging the article holder from an article-receiving position at one side of the carriage to a discharging position over the carriage, means for lifting and lowering the transfer arms comprising stationary cams, means providing operating connections between one said cam and alternate rock arms of said series, means providing operating connections between the other said cam and the other rock arms, said cams being shaped and arranged to cause the article holders to be lifted in pairs when swung outward for receiving articles, each said article holder comprising a pair of jaws mounted on the transfer arm for swinging movement toward and rfrom each other, and automatic means controlled by the lifting and lowering movements of the said arms for swinging said jaws.

6. Article transfer mechanism comprising a support, a vertical rock shaft mounted for rocking movement and up-and-down movement on said support, a transfer arm attached to the rock shanJ and extending laterally therefrom, an artiele-holding cup comprising holding members pivotally mounted on said arm for Swinging movement toward and from each other, a rock arm mounted on said shaft for rocking movement about the axis of the shaft, means providing operating connections between said rock arm and the said article-holding members, a cam follower roll on said rock arm, and a cam mounted on said .support and positioned and arranged in the path of said roll and operable by the vertical movement of the rock shaft to operate said articleholding members.

7. Article transfer mechanism comprising a support, a vertical rock shaft mounted for rooking movement and up-and-down movement on said support, a transfer arm attached to the rock shaft and extending laterally therefrom, an articie-holding cup comprising holding members pivotally mounted on said arm for swinging movement toward and from each other, a rock arm mounted on said shaft for rocking movement about the of the shaft, means providing operating connections between said rock arm and the said article-holding members, a cam follower roll on said rock arm, means for lowering the rock vshaft and rock arm, a cam positioned in the path of said roll and operable to swing said articleholding members apart when the rock shaft and said members are lowered, and means for swinging said holding members to article-holding' position when the shaft is lifted.

8. Article transfer mechanism comprising a vertical rock shaft, a frame in which said shaft is mounted for up-and-down bodily movement and for rocking movement about its axis, a transfer arm on the rock shaft and extending lateraly therefrom, an article holder carried on said arm and comprising a pair of article-holding members pivoted on said arm to swing toward and from each other for holding and releasing articles, means for rocking said shaft and thereby swinging the article holder from one position to another, and means for swinging said articleholding members about their pivots comprising a rock arm mounted on the said rock shaft for rocking movement relative thereto, a cam follower roll on said rock arm, means providing operating connections between the rock arm and said article-holding members for swinging the latter when said arm is rocked, and a cam positioned in the path of said roll and operable when the rock shaft is lowered to swing said rock arm and thereby swing the article-holding members about their pivots.

9. Article transfer mechanism comprising a vertical rock shaft, a frame in which said shaft is mounted for up-and-down bodily movement and for rocking movement about its axis, a transfer arm on the rock shaft and extending laterally therefrom, an article holder carried on said arm and comprising a pair of article-holding members pivoted on said arm to swing toward and from each other for holding and releasing articles, means for rocking said shaft and thereby swinging the article holder from one position to another, and means for swinging said articleholding members about their pivots comprising a rock arm mounted on the said rock shaft for rocking movement relative thereto, a cam follower roll on said rock arm, means providing operating connections between the rock arm and said article-holding members for swinging the latter when said arm is rocked, cams positioned below andin the path of Said cam follower roll, one said cam being positioned and arranged to swing thevarticle-holding members apart'when the transfer arm is lowered with the article holder at one said position, the other cam being positioned to swing said article-holding members apart when the rock shaft is lowered at the other said position, and spring means for swinging the article-holding members about their pivots to article-holding position when the rock shaft is lifted.

Y EDWARD I-I. BENNETT. 

